Search Yomoyama
Categories
Tags
album release alt Azumino bar Book Review cafes Coffee Dating Featured Festivals Food Hakuba Hiking how to Humor interview japan jazz Literature local local photographer Matsumoto Music Japan Nagano Nagano City natural alternatives organic Outdoors politics pottery Prose ramen recipe Recipes shiojiri silk weaving Ski Snowboard submissions sushi teaching Tokyo vegetarian Winter Yomoyama Online
Category Archives: Places
Nagano Summer Music Festivals
photos and write-ups by Whitney Conti Ueda Joint August 6,7,8: Ueda Castle, Ueda Sandwiched between the Ueda city outdoor skate park and Ueda Castles’ high stone walls, Ueda Joint combines earthtones with skateboards and psychedelic jazz with jam band rock. … Continue reading
Posted in 5 Sound. JuneJuly. 2010, Hakuba, Iiyama, Japan Travel, Kiso, Nagano, Places, Ueda
Tagged Peaceful Garden Festival, Sagawa Festival, Ueda Joint Festival
2 Comments
Nagano in a Nutshell: N,S,E,W,Central
photos and text by Whitney Conti Nagano is the kind of inaka which attracts famed artists, first class alpinists, and a rich culture based around local food and unique landscape. However, the prefecture’s English tourism information is limited and often … Continue reading
Posted in Azumino, Hakuba, Japan Travel, Kamikochi, Kiso, Matsumoto, Nagano, Nagano City
Tagged Nagano
Leave a comment
Zen Soba Bar and Restaurant, Hakuba
Zen is frequently recommended by locals for its combination of traditional architecture and the diversity and locality of its menu. Local wine and sake, traditional soba with mountain vegetables, and newer variations like octopus with spicy olive oil and garlic … Continue reading
Posted in Hakuba, Japan Travel, Japanese, Nagano, Places
Tagged Hakuba, soba, zen restaurant
Leave a comment
Gen Macrobiotic Kitchen Matsumoto
Matsumoto finally has an organically minded, vegetarian option thanks to the two month old Gen Macrobiotic Kitchen. Not that every city mandates local and organic cuisine options (though it should) but the absence of a local vegetarian based restaurant in … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Matsumoto, Nagano, Organic, Places
Tagged farm, local, macrobiotic, Matsumoto, organic, vegetarian
Leave a comment
Jump into Summer…literally: Lake Aokiko
In tourism materials, Nagano’s alpine peaks and winter skiing usually outshine most of the prefecture’s arts, culture, and other outdoor activities. But in summer, locals know that the most refreshing way to enjoy the mountain’s lush greens is from the … Continue reading
Posted in Hakuba, Nagano, Places, Water
Tagged lake aokiko, lake nojiriko, lakes, swimming
Leave a comment
Koiwa Workshop Blog May 19th
by Tom Jones After a request from an Australian guest, Ryokan-keeper Tyler Lynch arranged a hands-on tour of the Koiwa Workshop, where traditional Ueda Tsumugi techniques are still in use. As well as learning about the history of silk production, … Continue reading
Hiyori Café, Nagano City
text and photos by Whitney Conti Hiyori Café is a literary lovers’ garage turned hip café space. Above Hiyori café’s basement location is the headquarters of Nagano magazine publishers, Country Press. Country Press’ most recognizable publication is Kura magazine, which … Continue reading
Posted in Bakeries and Cafes, Nagano, Nagano City, Places
2 Comments
Tsubu Tsubu, Nagano City Peace Food
“Peace Food since 1983″ “TsubTsubu Café proudly presents creative dished made with different grains that feature the grain’s best characteristics.” (Tsubu Tsubu sweets menu) If earth tones, vegetables and soft toned conversations sound lovely to you then Tsubu Tsubu is … Continue reading
Posted in Bakeries and Cafes, Nagano, Nagano City, Nightlife, Organic, Places
2 Comments
9kjikan Café, Nagano City
Straight coffee in a simple setting 9kjikan (rest time) makes simplicity stylish. Their walls are clean, white, and bare with the exception of a pinned up pocket size calendar and post card sized Abbey Road placard. Tables are simple with … Continue reading
Onbashira Festival First Hand
The early morning buzz rose through the streets along with the smell of tako-yaki and yaki-ika as the festival stalls opened shop. Sake was being offered all around before a group of us set off to get optimum seats to … Continue reading
Posted in Festivals, Nagano, Suwa
Leave a comment
Chikuma International Expo May 30th
Hey everybody, This is James from Chikuma City Hall. I want to let you guys know about the Chikuma Expo this Year. It is one of the biggest events of the year in Chikuma and people from all over Nagano … Continue reading
Kiso’s Mt. Ontake, Japan’s 2nd Tallest Volcano
Mt. Ontake, the second tallest volcano in Japan, sits quietly, yet smoking, in the Kiso Valley. The hike up the volcano and the views from the trail are excellent and the spirituality of the place is hard to miss- shrines, small … Continue reading
Kiso Valley Edo era Post Towns Trail
The Kiso Valley Definitely worth a look is the trail between the post towns of Tsumago, Nagano and Magome, Gifu. The 8 km trail passes through the quiet Kiso countryside following the old Nakasendo route that linked Tokyo and Kyoto in the Edo … Continue reading
Kamikochi National Park Basics
Kamikochi （上高地） National Park is one of the most scenic spots in Japan and one of my favorite places. The views are spectacular. There is an abundance of nature. The trails are well kept. And in the summer, the temperatures … Continue reading
Negibouzu Okonomiyaki, Nagano City
Negibouzu’s twig canopied entrance way and rock studded walls hint that it is not a normal okonomiyaki restaurant. Its more standard menu, prices, and tastes, however, indicate otherwise. But if you are looking for teppanyaki grills and okonomiyaki in Nagano … Continue reading
Eat Ramen Like a Local on Route 19
Yukio Miyazawa throws vegetables and spices by the handful into a giant frying pan, briskly mixes them with noodles and smoothly tosses it all into the air. Without looking down, he adjusts the stove heat, and the flames settle down … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Nagano City, Nightlife
Leave a comment
Tori Shin YakiTori, Matsumoto
If you live in Matsumoto city you’ve probably heard of the yakitori bar Tori Shin. Getting to the local favorite, however, isn’t as easy. The grilled chicken den is only a three minute walk from JR Matsumoto station but spontaneously … Continue reading
Sunny Place Café, Matsumoto
Sunny place café’s style and clientele can largely be described as a spillover from Matsumoto’s neighboring high end fashion mall PARCO. Sunny place’s owner says that his clientele is mostly women between the ages of 18 and 23 and their … Continue reading
Bakery Street Café
Bakery Street is Nagano cities’ only café to spoon ice cream from coke floats, sink into red velvet couches, and perch on 1950s chairs over espresso or sweet potato pastries. The coffees are freshly brewed, but not exceptional. The atmosphere … Continue reading
Posted in Bakeries and Cafes, Nagano, Nagano City, Nightlife
Leave a comment
The art of sushi right outside of Nagano station
Everyone has their favorite sushi restaurant in the prefecture which makes it difficult to lay claim to the best sushi in the ken. For me however it is Nagano city’s Tsukiji sushi. The sushi bar was recommended to me over … Continue reading
The Grains and Greens of Roots Cafe, Happo One
By Whitney Conti Roots is the ski in ski out vegan café for non-vegans. Vegans and veg-heads of course also frequent the brown rice and falafel focused lunch spot, but Roots clientele resembles any average ski hill lunch crowd. Children … Continue reading
Posted in Bakeries and Cafes, Hakuba, Nightlife, Organic, Snow and Ice
Tagged organic, Ski Food, Vegan
Leave a comment
Matsumoto City’s Gourmet Cheese Shop & Restaurant
by Whitney Conti Gellee Blanche cheese shop and restaurant displays Camembert boxes like most restaurants would show off wine bottles. Dozens of Camembert wheels line the walls above European trinkets and the French certificates of cheese connoisseur and owner Shomoda … Continue reading
Posted in Beer and Wine, Gourmet, Matsumoto, Nightlife
Leave a comment
5 Foodie Musts in Hakuba
by Linda Monique 1. The Donburi at Kikyouya highlights owner and chef, Masuo Ohta’s 27 years of mastering the art of sushi. 1. Experience the freshest and most mouth-watering sashimi at Kikyouya You only need to look at the decade … Continue reading
Slow Cafe: Nagano’s inner city escape
Slow Café is as close as you can get to dining in a tree house in the middle of Nagano city. Wood paneled floors and wicker chairs are tempered by fair trade crafts, coffees, spices, and Tibetan prayer flags surrounding … Continue reading
Posted in Bakeries and Cafes, Nagano City, Organic
Tagged cafes, Nagano City, organic, slow food movement
Leave a comment
Bakeries and Cafes
Matsumoto Sweets. Since 1913. Matsumoto. Hours: 9:00-18:00. Everyday. Tel. 0263-32-5300. Above and beyond the standard array of delicious baked goods, sweets uniquely offers hot pressed reuben sandwiches, bread bowl soups, and a 1930s wood polished indoor seating and outdoor patio … Continue reading
Posted in Azumino, Bakeries and Cafes, Hakuba, Matsumoto, Nagano City
Tagged bakeries, cafes
Leave a comment
Going organic in Nagano
Nagano prefecture may be considered the “inaka” which literally translates as rural but it’s mountains and quiet attract the hip and trendy of the young organic, local movement bustling in Tokyo and thriving in our ken. A lot of the … Continue reading
Posted in Azumino, Hakuba, Matsumoto, Nagano City, Nightlife, Organic
Tagged Azumino, Matsumoto, Nagano, ooka, organic, veggie burger
Leave a comment